Review: THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES at Porthouse

It’s summer, a time of year in Northeastern Ohio for escapist activities.  This is the only logical reason that Porthouse would pick a show like Roger Bean’s jukebox musical THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES.
 
Bean has made a cottage industry out of his “Wonderettes” musicals and similar mindless scripts.  
 
He takes songs that were written by others and were popular, or at least recorded and/or performed at concerts, and shoe-horned them into trite storylines.  Titles of some of his “hits” include WONDERETTES:  CAPS & GOWNS, WINTER WONDERETTES, WONDERETTES DREAM ON, SUMMER OF LOVE, HONKY TONK LANDRY, and WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE.
 
These shows, are easy to stage, have small casts and little scenery, and are staples in community and summer theaters. 

THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES  uses pop songs from the1950s and 1960s as a vehicle to tell its story, while paying homage to the high school “Songleader” squads of the 50s. 
Beyond fiction, there was a most famous local “girl group,” The Poni-Tails--Toni Cistone, Karen Topinka and Patti McCabe--who started singing at Charles F. Brush High School, in South Euclid/Lyndhurst.  A music publisher, signed them to a local record label.  They had a huge hit in 1958 when their “Born Too Late “rose on the charts.  Ironically, the Poni-Tails, like the girl-group in THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, entertained while still at Brush. 

In THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, the girl-group—Missy (Alexis Wilson), Betty Jean (Hannah Hall), Suzy (Emma Rose Johnson), and Cindy Lou (Riley McIntyre) are recruited as last-minute replacements at the fictitious Springfield High School. 

In the first act, the Wonderettes rally together to entertain their classmates in four-part harmony and doo-op moves (think The Supremes, Shirelles and Marvelettes). The second act shows the four ten years later at their reunion, still entertaining, gossiping, and sniping at each other.
The musical includes such  the songs "Lollipop", "Dream Lover", “All I Have to Do is Dream,” "Lipstick on Your Color," “Sincerely,” “I Only Want to Be With You,” and ”Leader of the Pack.”

If you, like so many in the Sunday matinee audience I attended are of “that” age, you know and could sing most of the lyrics from those songs.  In fact, there was supportive-singing, some complete with gestures, from the mostly gray-haired assemblage.  They loved the nostalgia of returning to this glory days.

The script had a surprising creation story.  Beach had written DON’T TOUCH THE DIAL, his first musical.  It was a hit at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and “Bean was asked to write a new musical for their intimate black box space.  Bean suggested a musical about high school song leaders from the 50s and 60s, best friends, singing at prom for their best friends and boyfriends. He would use pop songs from the 50s and 60s to tell the story of the characters.”  And thus, his cash cow was born! 

The story, if one can call it that, has many contrived “angst” incidents—boyfriend issues, personal conflicts between the girls, crushes on “Mr. Lee,” a teacher, being teacher’s pet, and one of the girl’s continually chewing and losing her gum. (Come on, could I make that up?)  
 
The cast, under the direction of Amy Fritsche, who also serves as choreographer, does all it can with the script.  The girls all have good voices, each is featured in several songs, and they all have the coordinated hand, facial expressions and feet movements down pat. 
 
Jonathan Swoboda’s musicians lay down a perfect background for the young ladies, not drowning out the song lyrics, but supporting their song interpretations. 
 
Highlight songs were “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” “You Don’t Own Me,” That’s When the Tears Start, and “It’s My Party.”
 
Margaret Peebles’ lighting, Tony Hardin’s set design, and Bethy Winters’ sound all add to the production.
 
Abbie Hagen’s wonderfully colorful and zany era-correct costumes were show highlights. 
 
CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  If you love the teeny-bopper music of the 1950s and 60s, and don’t care about a story line (believe me this is not DEAR EVAN HANSEN or SPRING AWAKENING), then wander out to Porthouse, sit in the beautiful tent theatre in the lush lawn and trees, and see THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES.  Me?  I’m looking forward to THE PROM, the theatre’s next production. 
 
For tickets go to: www.kent.edu or 330-672-3884. Next up at Porthouse is THE PROM (July 21-August 6).
 
 
 

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